British Council Literature Seminar

Having explored the topic of diversity in UK literature in the context of race and gender in 2017 and 2018, we are thrilled that Bernardine Evaristo – the renowned writer, academic and Man Booker Prize Winner 2019 – chaired the British Council Literature Seminar in 2023. You can now watch the seminar for yourself here.  Class and Contemporary UK Writing'The hierarchy of class is deeply embedded into the structures of British society and affects every aspect of our lives. Although the United Kingdom has become a more progressive and socially mobile society, it is nonetheless far from fulfilling an egalitarian dream. We are still a nation rife with inequality of lifestyle, education, opportunity and economic prosperity, especially as it pertains to and disadvantages the working classes. The literature industry has traditionally been a middle class occupation, a fact that extends from those who work in publishing houses, to the authors themselves. Historically excluded from working within publishing, working class people might encounter an array of obstacles to getting published. This will range from the self-belief and courage required to envision and pursue a career as a writer, to becoming a writer who has to negotiate a predominantly middle class literary culture where you might be seen as an outsider who doesn’t fit in because of your background, unless, of course, you change, even if it is only superficial code-switching, such as changing your accent and speech, social... Continue reading at 'British Council global'

[ British Council global | 2023-03-16 10:55:14 UTC ]
News tagged with: #bernardine evaristo #united kingdom #man booker prize

Other Publishing stories related to: 'British Council Literature Seminar '


Is American literature ‘massively overrated’?

British-Chinese author Xialou Guo, who was selected by Granta Magazine as one of Britain's best young novelists and was recently shortlisted for the Orange Prize, criticized American literature and also expressed concern that literature has become too ‘storytelling-driven.’ 'All the poetry, all... Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-01-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #granta magazine #young novelists #orange prize #expressed concern


British Library staging exhibition of comics in 'overdue' celebration of genre

Library chief, Roy Keating, says show will explore field from Misty comics and superhero classics to graphic novelsBoys in the late 1970s probably assumed the girls comic Misty was all boring romance, puppies and ponies. How wrong they were. They were full of "incredibly dark, weird,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bram stoker #mary shelley #mervyn peake #angela carter


Is Anglo-American Literature “Massively Overrated?”

At the Jaipur Literature Festival, UK-based Chinese writer Xiaolu Guo attacked English literature as overrated, while Jhumpa Lahiri praised translation. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-01-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Writers attack 'overrated' Anglo-American literature at Jaipur festival

Xiaolu Guo warns that English-language mainstream has warped a broader 'reading habit', on panel with Jhumpa Lahiri and Jonathan FranzenAmerican literature is "massively overrated", the award-winning author and film-maker Xiaolu Guo told the Jaipur literature festival – and fellow panellist and... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-01-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #literary world #greater diversity


Mistry wins DSC Prize for South Asian Literature

The DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2014 has been given to Cyrus Mistry for his novel... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-01-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #dsc prize


British press freedom is under international scrutiny – and with good reason | Thomas Hughes

The fact a delegation is visiting the UK over the hostile response to the Guardian's reporting of the Snowden leaks, as well as the royal charter, should sound alarm bellsThis week, the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers has dispatched a delegation of editors and publishers from... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-01-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #long tradition


Publish and be branded: the new threat to literature's laboratory

Increasingly fixated on the stars of today, such as Hilary Mantel and JK Rowling, publishers are neglecting the experimenters who could save their industry tomorrow: the mid-list writersThe tickets sold out months ago. Long before the admiring reviews of the stage adaptation of Hilary Mantel's... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-01-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #nathan filer #costa award


Polar vortex takes us back to the coldest story in American literature (+video)

The unnamed protagonist in Jack London's 'To Build a Fire' gets into trouble while hiking in the frozen Yukon with his dog. Widely considered to be London’s best short story, 'To Build a Fire' captures the cold with painful accuracy. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #jack london #coldest story #unnamed protagonist #frozen yukon #widely considered #short story #painful accuracy


Polar vortex takes us back to the coldest story in American literature

The unnamed protagonist in Jack London's 'To Build a Fire' gets into trouble while hiking in the frozen Yukon with his dog. Widely considered to be London’s best short story, 'To Build a Fire' captures the cold with painful accuracy. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #jack london #coldest story #american literature #unnamed protagonist #frozen yukon #widely considered #short story #painful accuracy


DiCamillo appointed US literature ambassador

American author Kate DiCamillo has taken on the role US ambassador of young people’s... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-01-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Irish literature gets €150,000 boost with laureate award

An outstanding Irish writer of fiction will be chosen to promote Irish literature around the worldAs Ireland becomes the first country to exit the eurozone bailout programme, one of its writers can look forward to a period of prosperity with the creation of a laureateship award worth €150,000... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2013-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #highest level #established authors #anne enright #sebastian barry #younger generation


Great British Bookshop to offer 'online alternative'

A new book retail site, The Great British Bookshop, is being soft-launched in December, vowing to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Sara Bershtel Wins Friedrich Ulfers Prize Ahead of Festival Neue Literatur

Metropolitan Books publisher Sara Bershtel will receive the 2014 Friedrich Ulfers Prize for her contributions to German literature in the USA. The prize is part of NYC's Festival Neue Literatur. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-11-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #german literature


A Beginners Guide to the Slovak Book and Literature Market

We offer a survey of publishing in the Slovak Republicm, which has struggled to gain recognition in the international market in spite of a lively literary scene and book market. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #international market #book market


98 British publishers folded last year due to ebooks, discounts

Closures were up 42% over the previous year, according to the Guardian. The companies that folded included the 26-year-old healthcare publisher Panos London and Evans Brothers.Ninety-eight British publishers closed their doors in the year ending August 2013. The cause? E-books and online discounts. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-11-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #online discounts #year due #previous year


5 reasons Alice Munro was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature (+video)

Merit trumped politics this year when modest, retiring, universally admired Canadian author Alice Munro received the Nobel Prize in Literature.  Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-10-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #nobel prize


Alice Munro wins 2013 Nobel Prize in literature

Alice Munro is the winner of the 2013 Nobel Prize in literature. The Canadian author was lauded for being "master of the short story" by Peter Englund, permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy.Alice Munro is the winner of the 2013 Nobel Prize in literature. The Canadian author was lauded for... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-10-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #alice munro #canadian author #short story #swedish academy


What Can or Cannot Be Said About Romanian Literature? Plenty

Romanian literature is having a moment on the world stage, as exemplified by its frequent focus at global book fairs, including last week's in Göteborg. We survey the scene. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-10-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #world stage


National Book Award releases long-list for Young People's Literature

The National Book Awards launched its first long-list with the 10 books in the running for the 2013 award for Young People's Literature on Monday.The National Book Awards launched its first long-list with the 10 books in the running for the 2013 award for Young People's Literature on Monday. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-09-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |